Criminal Code

Marginal note:Decision to hold preliminary inquiry — Nunavut

555.1(1) If in any criminal proceedings under this Part an accused is before a judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice and it appears to the judge that for any reason the charge should be prosecuted by indictment, the judge may, at any time before the accused has entered a defence, decide not to adjudicate and shall then inform the accused of the decision and continue the proceedings as a preliminary inquiry.

(2) If an accused is before a judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice charged with an indictable offence mentioned in paragraph 553(a) or subparagraph 553(b)(i), and, at any time before the judge makes an adjudication, the evidence establishes that the subject-matter of the offence is a testamentary instrument or that its value exceeds five thousand dollars, the judge shall put the accused to an election in accordance with subsection 536.1(2).

Marginal note:Continuation as preliminary inquiry — Nunavut

(3) If an accused is put to an election under subsection (2) and the accused elects to have a preliminary inquiry and to be tried by a judge without a jury or a court composed of a judge and jury or does not elect when put to the election, the judge shall continue the proceedings as a preliminary inquiry under Part XVIII and, if the judge orders the accused to stand trial, the judge shall endorse on the information and, if the accused is in custody, on the warrant of committal, a statement showing the nature of the election of the accused or that the accused did not elect, as the case may be.

Marginal note:Continuing proceedings — Nunavut

(4) If an accused is put to an election under subsection (2), and the accused elects to be tried by a judge without a jury and without having a preliminary inquiry, the judge shall endorse on the information a record of the election and continue with the trial.

Marginal note:Application to Nunavut

(5) This section, and not section 555, applies in respect of criminal proceedings in Nunavut.